


Blood Ties, Love Ties

by kisae



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Eren Yeager Has Heterochromia Iridum, Fluff and Angst, Homeless Eren, M/M, Panic Attacks, maybe smut, vampire!levi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-02-09 16:24:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1989702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisae/pseuds/kisae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Trust me, brat, there’s nothing more I want to do right now other than rip your fucking throat off and suck you dry to the very last drop of this fucking blood of yours. Yet here I am trying to fucking speak with you and make it enter on that thick skull of yours that I’m here to help,” Levi spats.</i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>((Vampire AU where Levi is a vampire and meets Eren in the middle of the night.))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Night walkers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, please don't kill me!!! I'm so sorry for starting another fic even though I haven't updated any of my others in ages. I want to make clear that I HAVEN'T given up on any of them, and that I WILL update them eventually and hopefully soon. Story is that I'm on vacation in Germany on my gramps, and I fucking forgot my laptop charger. So yesterday I finally bought a new one and although I wanted to update FTLIY and Blut Engel, I had this little story I've written in the mean time on my notebook and wanted to write it here. 
> 
> This will be a short fic and I'll try to update soon too, so I can come back full force to my other fics ^^
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this, though! Because I kinda liked it XD
> 
> This was not beta'd, so sorry for any errors!
> 
>  
> 
> ...omg i've been itching to write this x33

The first time Levi sees him, the boy is walking all by himself in the middle of the night. He has a backpack hanging on his right shoulder and he’s facing the ground as he drags his feet one after another across the dark street, almost stumbling on them.

The scent of blood is strong too, and it’s heavenly to say the least. Levi has never smelled such a rich scent before, so delicious that he can feel his mouth watering and his fangs threating to come out – it’s the first time in a long time that Levi’s throat burns this much, as if he hasn’t had anything to drink in ages. 

It hurts but it feels so good at the same time.

His instincts tell him, urge him, to knock the kid out and suck him dry, all of it to the very last drop, and if Levi’s being honest with himself, that’s all he wants too. Wants every single drop of that delicious, warm, creamy red liquid that flows through those thin and frail veins, protected by that easily breakable layer of skin. It’d be so easy. So fucking _easy_ that Levi doesn’t even know why he isn’t ripping the boy’s throat off yet.

From what Levi can see, the kid – okay, maybe young adult, if the raven haired is feeling generous – looks as if he’s about to pass out at any moment, and it should make Levi happy, because it all adds a bonus for his side. After all, he doesn’t like it when he has a struggling meal. 

But for whatever reason it is, Levi doesn’t attack. He likes to believe that’s because it goes against his nature to jump on innocent beings, and because he doesn’t do anything that’s not consensual. It’s the truth. And the fact that the boy doesn’t have a chance to defend himself makes Levi feel a tiny bit bad. 

It just goes against everything Levi build through his few years walking Earth. 

So instead of following the desires of his hazed mind – that is telling him so tirelessly to just sink his teeth on the kid’s neck and taste that marvelous smelling blood, to just forget about restrictions and what’s wrong and what’s right and enjoy, to get pleasure for once in his fucking life and not fucking _regret_ everything he does – Levi clenches his fist in tight balls, snapping his jaw shut and forcing his fangs back to where they were for many days and nights in a row. 

He had been doing so well until now. He wouldn’t destroy all of his achievements because of a brat with a damned good blood. 

Levi said so himself, that he had control over his body. 

He could do this. He has to.

That’s why when the kid stumbles over his feet and falls face first on the hard concrete, unmoving and probably unconscious, Levi turns around and pretends he didn’t see anything. 

He walks away and doesn’t look back.

 

 

 

 

Two days passes and Levi doesn’t leave his house. He sits the majority of the time on his bed, back resting against the cold white wall behind him and eyes closed. He spends the whole first day completely still, as if frozen, trying to fight down the need of chasing that kid. Trying to forget what his blood smells like, pumping so vigorously through his veins.

It’s in the middle of the third day that Levi gets enough of his practically mopping around and stands up to get his shit back together. And the continuous ringing of his cellphone is annoying the hell out of him too, so he finally takes it in hand to see who carries the honor of being the source of his irritation.

It doesn’t surprise him when Hanji’s name glows multiple times in the screen of his cellphone. 36 missed calls and 44 new texts messages. 

_**Hanji Z. – 16:08pm** _  
_Leviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!! Are you thereee???_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:10pm** _  
_Leviiiiiiii answer meeeeeeee_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:13pm** _  
_Levi are you there???_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:18pm** _  
_Did you drink without me again and crashed at Erwin’s place? D:_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:22pm** _  
_You DIDN’T crash at Erwin’s place!!_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:22pm** _  
_I just called him btw_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:23pm** _  
_Hey does that mean you got laaiiiidddddd???_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:27pm** _  
_Leeevvviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii don’t ignooorreeeeeee meeeee_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:30pm** _  
_Little ass gnome!!_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:31pm** _  
_Evil little ass garden gnome!_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:34pm** _  
_Midget!!_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:42pm** _  
_Levi are you dead?_

_**Hanji Z. – 16:46pm** _  
_Levi if I don’t get an answer me in five hours I’ll pass by_

_**Hanji Z. – 20:08pm** _  
_Levi_

_**Hanji Z. – 21:02pm** _  
_Levi I’m knocking at your door, open up_

_**Hanji Z. – 21:03pm** _  
_I’m worried_

_**Hanji Z. – 21:04pm** _  
_Levi, let me in_

_**Hanji Z. – 21:53pm** _  
_I just left. Call me if you need a shoulder to cry on_

_**Hanji Z. – 23:11pm** _  
_Levi come over_

_**Hanji Z. – 23:14pm** _  
_I bought ice cream. It’s the best medicine for a broken heart._

He doesn’t read the rest. 

But he decides to come over just because he feels a little bit guilty. So he calls her.

_Ring. Ri–_

_”Leviii!!”_

“Hey, four eyes.”

“ _Where the_ hell _have you been?? I’ve been trying to contact you since forever!_ ”

“I was home.”

“ _Why didn’t you let me in?_ ” she almost shouts, and Levi has to take the phone off his ears, that are already sensitive as it is. He grimaces.

“I had to deal with some shit.”

“ _But Lev-_ ”

“Vampire shit, Hanji.”

It’s quiet for a second on the other line. Generally, when Levi calls Hanji by the name it’s because there’s something serious going on. 

“ _Oh._ ”

Yep. Oh. 

Hanji, as well as Erwin and Levi’s closest friends, know about him being a vampire. They’ve known for a good while, and the shock wasn’t knowing that vampires existed – that was common knowledge – but that _Levi_ was one, and that he was true born, not transformed. Not that he gave a shit, but Hanji found it fascinating. 

“Yeah.”

“ _Are you okay?_ ”

Fucking fantastic. 

“Can I come over?”

“ _Of course. Yeah, sure thing. When are you coming?_ ”

“Right now.”

“ _Great! I’ll make some space on the couch!_ ”

“… Is the laundry from last week still there?”

“ _Well, you see~_ ”

“No, forget it, I don’t want to know.” Gross. That’s just disgusting. “Make sure that everything’s cleaned up before I arrive.”

He doesn’t wait for an answer and ends the call, making his way to the bathroom so he can take a shower and put some fresh clothes on. It takes him twenty-seven minutes to get ready, and as he pockets his wallet and house key, he decides he’ll walk. Hanji doesn’t live far away anyway and a little exercise might be good for him. Not that he needs it, because daaahh he’s a vampire, but he likes to pretend he’s normal and not a freak.

He just likes to pretend he’s not an abomination.

So Levi walks.

 

 

 

 

It’s only when he turns around a corner, walking towards the park, that the smell hits him like a ton of bricks on the face. He’s paralyzed, can’t move even if he wanted to. Is that smell again. That smell that has him fighting against all of his natural instincts and making him go crazy, craving for just a little bite, just something enough to taste it. 

Levi’s cold blue, steel grey orbs fly to the boy sitting on the bench near the playground. His head is hanging down, resting on his hands so that Levi can’t, once again, see his face, but the mop of brown hair is unmistakable. 

Levi swallows the knot that is stuck in the middle of his throat and turns away before his feet can betray him. His throat is burning like there’s no tomorrow, and damn it’s hurts. 

If only water could be the substance that would extinguish that fire. 

God, it _hurts_.

He ends up taking the longer way to Hanji’s house. 

 

 

 

 

 

Levi sleeps over at Hanji’s. He didn’t plan to, but he’s afraid of what he’d do if the boy was still there when he came back. So he stays, until he’s sure the brat won’t be there anymore, since it’s raining pretty bad outside and not a living soul dares to walk through the streets in this kind of weather. 

Of course that means he has to deal with Hanji’s constant rambling – which he can barely cope with as it is – but if it means staying away from _him_ , Levi will gladly spend the whole week with shitty glasses, whether he likes it or not. And since Hanji still has some functional brain cells, she can tell that he’s not in the mood for anything really, so she tells herself to calm down a little and let Levi lead their conversations at his own pace. 

She’s a good friend, Levi thinks, although he’ll probably never say that aloud. 

As he’s standing on the doorway, just about to step out of the small apartment the brunette owns, Hanji hugs him tight and reassures him that if he needs something, _anything_ , he can come to her. Levi brushes her off, but is internally thankful for the offer. It’s comforting. 

 

 

 

 

Levi opens the umbrella Hanji lend him when he’s outside the building, and because he doesn’t want to get too wet, even with the umbrella, he decides on the shorter way, the way that passes through the park. And it’s okay, because in this downfall he’s sure that there’ll be nobody.

He walks in long and quick steps, not quite running but almost. It takes him three minutes until he reaches the park, and he nearly doesn’t notice the faint but still delicious scent in the air.

Levi freezes. If he still had a beating heart, it’d be frantic now. 

He knew that smell. He knew it so well that he dreamt of it for the last four days. 

Slowly and with extreme caution, as a predator ready to attack its prey, Levi turns his head and faces the bench, eyes narrowing and pupils thinning into two small slits.

There, on that hard and uncomfortable park bench, soaked from head to toe and trembling, was the boy with the wonderful smelling blood once again. He’s curled up and lying on the cold surface in a fetal position, hands ungloved and clutching his thin jacket for dear life. His backpack is nowhere to be seen and everything about him looks miserable. 

Is he homeless?

The thought has Levi slightly shaken. He doesn’t know why, though. 

And he certainly doesn’t know what got into him as he carefully walks towards the sleeping – is he sleeping? – figure. His steps are light, so he doubts the kid can hear him, but he doesn’t dare to let his guard down. 

He kneels down in front of the boy. His face is dirty and there’s some dry blood on his mouth and nose. A bandage covers his left eye and his breath is even, as if he was sleeping. _How can someone sleep under this rain?_

It’s the perfect chance. It’s all Levi could have asked for. It’d be so _simple_. There was nobody looking, and if the kid was truly homeless, nobody would come looking for him. Furthermore, the kid is knocked out cold, he wouldn’t have to deal with a screaming brat. All cards are being played correctly for Levi’s side. He just has to use them. All he has to do is let his fangs out and sink them into that tan flesh. 

It’s so easy.

And that’s why Levi doesn’t understand why he isn’t doing it yet. He doesn’t understand why he’s shaking the kid awake and calling out for him in a tone that borders kindness. Gentleness. 

It’s not pity. It cannot be pity because Levi doesn’t take pity on anyone. 

Understanding.

Familiarity. 

Because Levi knows what it feels like being homeless and leaving without a roof above your  
head. 

So when the boy stirs and shakes under his hand, Levi tugs even firmer on his cheap clothing, determined to wake this kid up. He can’t just leave him alone here. Even if his throat burns in protest, Levi can’t. He’ll bring him home for the night and make sure the kid doesn’t die of hypothermia, before discussing all of this with Hanji or Erwin to find a place for this kid to stay. 

It takes another minute of shaking and rustling before the brunet’s eye open and a green – no, wait, blue? Turquoise? – orb stares at him for five seconds straight without blinking. Levi’s own eyes widen for the slightest second in surprise. What the _fuck_? Just what the fucking hell? 

Levi swears he’s not into all that cliché shit, but _fuck_ him if he isn’t completely doomed, completely captivated by that ocean colored eye. It makes his skin itch. It makes him want to stare all day long into that eye and decipher what color it is.. 

_Fuck._

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.

Levi blinks and suddenly he’s being shoved backwards, almost falling on his ass if it weren’t for his quick reflexes. He looks up to find the brat hurrying his way off the bench, stumbling over his feet like the clumsy shit he is and coughing at the same time. The vampire rolls his eyes and in an eye blink he’s besides the brunet. 

The kid’s eye widen in fear, his clenched fists rising in a futile attempt of defending himself. 

“Y-you’re a vampire!” he says with a hoarse voice and drained in desperation.

“No shit.”

Really observant kid, your skills of pointing out the obvious are truly amazing.

“St-stay away f-from me!”

Levi sighs. “Look, brat, I’m trying to help, okay? You look like shit and as if you had your ass kicked multiple times.”

“Stay away!” the kid shouts again and glances around them, clearly looking for someone who might help. 

“Calm down, would you?” Levi growls, not really in the mood to deal with all this shit. And the burning sensation in his throat isn’t helping. “Just let me help you for today and then you’re free to go. I won’t do anything.”

Turquoise orbs glare at him full of suspicion, anger and fear. “Why the fuck should you help me? And why should I trust you?”

Levi doesn’t even think, he grabs the kid by the collar and pushes him down so he can stare straight into his eye. “Trust me, brat, there’s nothing more I want to do right now other than rip your fucking throat off and suck you dry to the very last drop of this fucking blood of yours. Yet here I am trying to fucking _speak_ with you and make it enter on that thick skull of yours that I’m here to help,” he spats.

The brunet trembles under his hold, obviously afraid but still determined not to give up. “Leave me alone! Hell, who said I need your fucking help?! Go fuck yourself if you don’t have anything better to do!”

Levi can feel the growing anger inside him, his mind telling him to just kill this boy, rip him to pieces and feed of his blood. He forces the thoughts back to the depths of his mind. 

“I’m not going to hurt you, if that’s what you think.”

“I don’t care! Just stay away from me, you monster!”

Something snaps inside Levi’s head and suddenly he lets go off the brat. He takes two steps backwards and glares at the kid, seeing red. 

“Fuck you. I don’t know what got into me, trying to help you.”

Levi turns away and starts walking in the opposite direction, the handle of the umbrella almost cracking by the force of his hand. God, he wants to punch something. Or someone. And he needs to drink, his need for blood’s killing him. 

It’s only when a loud _thump_ is heard that he looks over his shoulder to see that the brunet collapsed on the middle of the park. 

He tells himself to keep walking. He’s a monster, why should he help the kid? Why does he even want to help him anyway? 

Levi turns back and takes the boy in his arms.

He’s feather light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kid remains unconscious for two whole days. Levi takes advantage of his sleeping state to wash him thoroughly and change him into clean baggy clothes. He changes the bandage around the kid’s eye, surprised to see that there’s no actual wound and it makes him wonder why the brunet even uses it. But Levi isn’t one to mix himself in other people’s business, so he just rewraps it again with a new bandage and leaves it as it is. 

He decides to make a fast grocery shopping because he just noticed there isn’t any actual food in his fridge – just some kind of shitty yogurt that Hanji leaves there in case she comes over unexpectedly, but Levi won’t let the kid eat that thing, it’s disgusting even for him. He sits on the end of his bed, near to the boy’s feet and scribbles down a note, just in case the kid should wake up.

Levi turns the heater on, so that the room isn’t freezing cold and pushes the covers a little bit more up the kid’s chin. He also places the note on the bedside table.

And then he leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

_Hey, fucknut._

_Don’t freak out. I’ll assume you remember what happened before you kissed the ground,_  
 _so you should know in whose house you are. I went out to buy some fucking food for you,  
be happy. _

_I’ll be back in a bit. And don’t try to run away, it’ll only be a waste of energy, for you and for me._

_Drink some water and don’t make a mess. I’ll kill you if I see something out of place._

_Levi_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A HUGEEEE THANKS FOR EVERYBODY WHO LEAVES KUDOS AND/OR COMMENTS, I LOVE YOU GUUUYSSS X33  
> Next chappie should be there soon ^^


	2. he's waiting up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi goes shopping for shit he doesn't even needs. Eren wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi my little grumpybears~!  
> Sorry for the wait, life happened lol I hope I can make up for it in the next chapter because this one is my sad attempt of updating before the weekend X'D  
> AND HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS MUST BE KIDDING ME 126 KUDOS FOR ONLY ONE CHAPPIE???? ASDFGHJKLASDFGHJ I LUV ALL OF YOU THANK YOU SO MUUUUCH QAQ
> 
> Hope you enjoy this second part just as well! A huge thanks in anteciaption for everybody who comments or leaves kudos :3
> 
> This was not beat'd~

Levi concludes that he hates going grocery shopping. 

Not only is the local supermarket completely and utterly filthy – seriously, do they even take knowledge of the principle of basic sanitation and hygiene? – but the products are all also disgusting. Everything is covered in dust and shit, and just to point it out, as Levi went to pick up a package of butter, his hand got sticky with some substance that he’ll dread for the rest of his life and that will certainly follow him into every nightmare.

Not to mention that one of the cheese packages he saw had long been expired from its validity date. 

_Disgusting._

So fucking disgusting. 

It makes shivers of repulsion run down Levi’s spine. 

However, the brat will have to eat something when he wakes up and therefore Levi makes an exception, deciding that for this time, and this time only, he’ll buy from this shop. 

That, of course, doesn’t mean he won’t wash his hands a hundred times when he gets home, and take three baths to get rid of all the germs and god knows what else that sticks on his skin. 

He groans. Above all this fucking shit, he has absolutely no idea of what the kid likes to eat. Does he like ham? Or maybe peanut butter? Or cheese? Eggs? Salad? Meat? Chocolate? Fruits? And what does he likes to drink? Milk? Coffee? Tea? Soda? Or maybe just water? What about allergies? Gluten allergy? Lactose allergy? 

God, this is so frustrating and Levi doesn’t even know why cares so much about whether or not he gets to please the boy. He called Levi a monster, after all. And it’s not that he’s wrong, because, really, Levi agrees with him, but there’s also no need to spit and rub the truth on his face either. It’s fucking rude to say the least. It’s like coming to a sick person and saying, hey stay away from me because you have cancer. 

It’s not his damn fault he was born a vampire. It’s not his fault his vampire parents fucked and he was born. 

Does it look like he wants to live forever? Does it look like he wants to suck blood so he can stay alive? 

Does it fucking look like he asked for _any_ of this?

Levi scoffs and shakes his head. He doesn’t like thinking about this nor does he tolerate getting himself too deep into the depressing sea of shit that occupies a small yet still present part of his mind.

He doesn’t want to drown. 

But he doesn’t have a life vest either. 

So Levi keeps sinking, sinking and _sinking_.

Sinking until the day he learns to swim. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He ends up buying a little of everything. Well, of course not everything, that’d be impossible, but all of what is important and that he thinks the boy will need. Toilet paper, for example. And food too, but that’s obvious. 

He also makes sure to look extra displeased with the garbage dump they call a supermarket as he pays for the products – and is secretly very amused by how the cashier is almost pissing herself in fear. Levi swears he sees the girl’s hands shake as she gives him the change and, modesty aside, Levi loves the effect his glare has on some people. 

The only ones who are completely immune to it are Erwin and Hanji – as predicted – and Levi refuses to believe that that’s because he’s grown a soft spot for them. That’s ridiculous, after all. Levi doesn’t just grow soft spots for anyone. He scowls. _Soft spots…_. Tch. Levi takes his bags in hand and walks out of that rat hole, more than happy to be able to breathe the fresh afternoon air instead of that hot and stuffy one inside the… supermarket. If you have the courage to call it that.

He automatically walks through the streets that lead to his apartment building, and he’s also very aware that he could just run all the way there and be back in no more than fifteen seconds, but the feel of the cool, humid air on his skin is too good to be dismissed this early, so he takes his time walking.

Levi even passes through the park and sits down to close his eyes for a few minutes. He uses those few minutes to let everything that happened in the short period of the past days sink in. What was he thinking? What the fuck is wrong with him? Letting a kid stay at his house? What the fuck? He had never been the donator type, so why now? Why him? Why did he think it’d be a good idea? He didn’t intend on letting the kid stay, so what if the brat jumped into assumptions? Levi might be a grade A asshole, but he’s not heartless.

If anything, he was doing it for his own needs. Because he’d be lying if he said that he doesn’t want to taste a little bit of that fabulous smelling blood. 

If he has to compare it to something else, he’d say it’s like a one night stand. Just so he can get it out of his system.

Levi opens his eyes and sighs. He should go back. 

He doesn’t want to.

He sighs yet again.

He should.

So he goes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Levi opens his apartment door and the scent he could smell since the bottom floor hits him full force once more. He asks himself why he isn’t used to the smell yet, why it’s so intense every time he smells it, why it feels like their first meeting all over again. As frustrating as it is, Levi can’t find it in himself to stop breathing through his nose as to keep from smelling it. It’s so _good_ yet it hurts so much. Maybe he’s a masochist? Holy shit, no. 

Levi voices his annoyance through a rather loud groan, and steps inside. He takes his shoes off and places them neatly one beside the other before making his way to the kitchen, where he leaves his grocery shopping bags on the counter. He opens the sink faucet and washes his hands not one, but five times. And just once more, to be sure. 

The raven haired walks soundlessly through the small apartment, his feet automatically bringing him to the closed door at the end of corridor. He stands in front of it, hand on the handle but not daring to turn it just yet. One, two, ten minutes pass as if it were only a few seconds. Levi can’t hear something other than the boy’s calm breathing. 

He doesn’t know if he should be nervous or not.

He tells himself he’s not. 

The unconscious side of his mind– aka bitchy side that makes constant and unnecessary remarks about everything – tells him he is. 

Levi tells himself to shut up.

He pushes the door open and enters without thinking twice. He’s no coward. 

His silvery blue eyes scan the room, and it takes him a moment to process that the boy isn’t laying on the bed as he expected, but is sitting on the farthest corner, knees drawn up, chin resting atop it and arms around his legs. The kid flinches when he meets Levi’s gaze and squeezes himself tighter in a ball. His heartbeat starts to fasten and blood pumps vigorously through his body. Damn, Levi can practically feel it on his tongue, the warm liquid running down his throat and some drooling from the corner of his mouth. He’d lick it away, not wanting to waste any of that precious red fluid. He’d suck all of it.

And he wouldn’t even regret doing so. 

His jaw snaps shut, hands clenching into fists. He fights down his instincts by taking a few and actually not needed calming breaths. He stares into that green, blue, teal, turquoise eye and thinks of how it’d be a pity to see it lose its light and transform itself into a dull and cold stoned orb. It’d be a rare jewelry that nobody would ever want to have.

The brat’s afraid, that much Levi can tell, but he doesn’t voice any of his fears nor does he try to flee. Levi believes that’s the moment when his respect for the kid is born.

“Where am I?” the voice is low and raspy, and Levi remembers the kid hasn’t had anything to drink in two or who knows maybe more days.

“My home.”

“Why?” the kid swallows, “What do you want from me?”

He sounds close to tears, yet no tears seem to form in his eyes. Perhaps he’s cried too much already.

Levi walks towards the bed and opts to ignore the way the kid winces lowly – so low that a normal human being wouldn’t hear it. He sits down on the end of the bed, forearms resting heavily on his tights, a sigh leaving his lips.

“I don’t want anything from you.”

“You’re lying,” the brunet snaps, his tone a tiny bit louder.

“If that’s what you want to believe, be my guest.”

The silence that follows Levi’s answer is anything but comfortable. A trembling breath comes from the boy, as if he’s trying with all his might not to break down, not to succumb in all the desperation he’s certainly feeling. 

“Just- All I want is-…” there’s another shaky sigh. “Jjust _why?_ ”

He whispers the last part, eyes downcast and shoulders slumped forward. Levi feels weird. That’s the exact word: weird. He doesn’t know if he should comfort the kid or just ignore him or leave the room or whatever. Should he hug him? Say something? Say nothing? Fuck it, Levi has no flying fucking idea. 

“I told you. I just want to help.”

The words feel weird too, now that he’s saying them aloud and to a fully conscious brat.

“But you’re a vampire!”

_Inhale._

_Exhale._

“And what the _fuck_ is that supposed to mean?” Levi spats. He’s starting to regret doing what he did. He should have left the kid to rot on the dirty ground of the park and to freeze under the rain.

Levi makes sure to hold the brat’s stare while he speaks. “Look kid, I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you to think that all vampires are shitheads. I don’t know why you think that just because I need to drink fucking blood to survive I feel less than you humans. So you shut your mouth before I lose my temper and try to be a little grateful that I didn’t kill you yet and I will forget the verbal diarrhea you were having.”

Somehow it turned out sounding more threateningly than he planned. 

A minute passes.

“You said you wanted to suck me dry,” the boys says, fingers tightly gripping the fabric of his - _Levi’s_ \- pants. 

Levi stands up and makes his way to the door. Before going out, though, he turns around and looks at the kid.

“I’m trying hard not to.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Levi wants to cook something for the boy. As much as he thinks the brat’s an asshole, he decided to take care of the brat on his own, and that includes making sure the kid doesn’t die because he didn’t have something to eat.

And that also when Levi remembers that he doesn’t cook shit. 

But what’s google for, after all, right? And so he passes the next hour searching for different kinds of soup recipes, deciding later on that he’d try to make chicken soup. 

He puts his apron on (why the fuck does he have this shit again?) so he doesn’t dirty his shirt and start chopping the vegetables.

No sound is heard from the room in the end of the corridor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He should be gifted with a Nobel prize or some crap like that. Not only does the soup taste heavenly but he also managed to bake a small bread that is also fan-fucking-tastic. 

Levi concludes that he likes cooking and baking, and it’s a shame he cannot feel satisfied with the food he makes. 

He’s so distracted washing the dishes that he almost doesn’t notice the faint sound of a door being open. He freezes momentarily before carefully going back to his task, pretending he hasn’t noticed at all. 

When he feels like he’s being stared at, Levi slowly turns around and meets the brunet’s gaze. They don’t say anything for a while, and it surprises Levi when the kid speaks first. 

“It smells good.”

Levi bites his tongue to keep from saying _’indeed’_ , because they both know he wouldn’t be speaking about the food. 

So he settles in with a simple shrug and “Go wash your hands. Bathroom’s first door left.”

The kid nods faintly and disappears of Levi’s sight. 

When he returns and awkwardly stands in the middle of the kitchen, Levi tells him to sit down on the table, where a plate full of soup and next to it a spoon and knife are already placed. On another plate are a few bread slices with butter on it. The brat eyes the food suspiciously at first, but after a loud rumble of his stomach he gives up and eats to his heart content. Levi warns him at least three times to eat slower. 

And while the boy eats, Levi notices for the first time that kid’s body temperature seems to be higher than from a normal person, and that he’s cheeks are flushed red and sweat makes his hair stick damp next to his ears. Levi takes another moment to notice that the kid might have a fever. 

Damn, why didn’t he notice earlier?

_Duh, because you never had to deal with humans before, perhaps?_

Like mentioned before, Levi hates the bitchy part of his mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One plate of soup more and a silent staring match later, Levi quietly tells the kid to take a bath and change into some other clothes he placed near the tub. Meanwhile Levi rushes to the pharmacy and buys some medicine. Okay, he buys a shitton of medicine such as for headache, stomachache, fever, colds and god knows what else. 

When he comes back he finds the boy sitting on the bed he had woken up on, and feels a little bit disappointed by the fact that he has the eye patch on once again. Levi quickly dismisses the feeling. 

“Here. You should drink this for your fever, guess it’ll help a little,” he says, handing a glass of whatever and the little pill for the brunet, who doesn’t give him an answer but swallows down the medicine anyway. 

It’s awkward to say the least. 

Maybe it’s because of the fever or maybe just because he needs to rest, but Levi sees as the brat allows himself to lay down and close his eyes. And sincerely, Levi thinks that’s for the best either.

Before the boy gets to fall asleep, though, Levi remembers something he completely forgot to ask and mentally kicks himself in the ass for not asking sooner. Or for not being the first thing he asked the brat.

“Hey, kid.”

A sleep hazed eye looks at him, begging him to be quick or else he won’t be conscious enough to answer.

“What’s your name?”

Silence.

One long minute passes. Maybe two, Levi isn’t counting.

When he thinks the boy won’t answer him, he hears it.

“It’s Eren.”

_Eren_. 

“Well, good night then, Eren.”

It kind of suits the brat.


	3. Not at all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, you can start throwing stones, I won't even try to defend myself. I'm so sorry for being such a shitty writer, but i just can't update regularly I am sorryyy T_T  
> And sad thing this has taken long AND is short. Ugh, pls kill me. But I have my reasons I swear! The main one being that I have tests EVERYDAY and I just don't find time to write so I'm sorry QAQ  
> I just figured it'd be better to update a short chapter now than one a bit longer in who knows when later.  
> I just hope you guys enjoy it, even though nothing really happens .w.
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes ( I'm so tireeed) and thanks in advance for all kudos and comments and love this story keeps getting (I am so happy :'3)~~

Levi watches Eren sleep for at least two hours more, sitting on the edge of the bed, and believe it or not, he’s completely aware of how creepy that sounds. However, he really doesn’t give a fuck. His excuse is that he has to make sure that the kid won’t die because of a nightmare or choke on his own drool. It’s pathetic but it’s the best he has.

He takes everything from this boy in, all the way from his messy brown hair that sticks up to all different angles to his socked feet. He has sun kissed skin, beautifully tanned even, if Levi is being honest with himself. His eyebrows are thick and relaxed against his forehead – so unlike Levi’s own that are constantly furrowed – and his features are overall one of a normal young adult. He’s also taller than Levi by a good five inches but lankier than the raved haired, like a teenager trying to cope with his sudden growth spurt. Levi is curious and, even if he won’t admit it, a little bit concerned by the skinniness Eren shows off.

How long has he been on the streets?

Why does he look so fragile?

Why does Levi _care_?

Levi let’s his eyes wander to the deep gashes on the kid’s face. They weren’t deep enough to the point of needing stiches, but bad enough. And they weren’t the only ones, or so Levi noticed as he was bathing the boy, on his chest and back were some more, along some purplish, bluish bruises. 

What the _hell_ has this kid been through?

Question after question and all with no answers. 

Levi sighs. It’s 2:30AM and he’s still there. He hasn’t even bathed yet. Holy shit, that’s gross. Levi stands up and with one last glance over his shoulder he walks out of the room, silently closing the door behind him. His throat is burning with hunger and his stomach is clenching in uncomfortable ways inside his body, begging for food. He remembers that the last time he had some blood was a few days before the brat showed up in his life and mentally kicks himself. How the hell could he be so reckless? Not only was he starving himself but he’s also putting all around him in danger in case he loses control. Which is very likely to happen if he doesn’t drink something soon.

But first things first, he needs above all this shit, a shower. A long and scalding shower to be precise. 

So Levi makes his way to the bathroom and takes his so desired shower. He stays, without any doubts, more than thirty minutes under the hot water, eyes closed and forehead resting against the pristine shower wall. His mind has so much in it, so much shit to think about, that for only this half hour Levi allows himself to just blank out. 

He doesn’t think about anything. He doesn’t try to understand what’s going on with him or the boy, and he doesn’t try to understand the decisions he made in these past days and he doesn’t try to cope with all consequences. For once he accepts what fate has thrown over him and doesn’t complain.

For those thirty minutes he just doesn’t try to argue with the choices he made.

Acceptance would be the most fitting word.

It’s 3:14AM when he finally gets out of the steaming bathroom, a robe hugging his body and his hair still damp against the mostly dry skin. He quickly changes into some pajama pants and white long-sleeved shirt, walking out of his bedroom course to the kitchen, where he reaches inside the fridge for a rectangular formed plastic bag, containing the blood he has been neglecting for a few days from now.

It even crosses his mind to just rip the plastic with his teeth, but at the prospect of dirtying anything and at the fact that he just bathed, Levi doesn’t take long to change his mind. He cuts one of the corners and pours the red liquid inside a glass, which he brings to his lips a little bit too greedily. 

The taste doesn’t even compare to the marvelous smell of Eren’s blood, but it’s enough for him at the moment – he just tries to gulp it down and not think at how wonderful it’d be to have a little sneak of _fresh_ human blood for instance. 

He doesn’t even remember the last time he actually drank from a human directly. 

The thought is quickly pulled to the back of his mind.

When Levi’s finished he washes his dish, feeling not fully satisfied – he doesn’t think he’ll ever be, now that he’s met the brat – but content. 

Levi goes to bed and falls asleep almost instantly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The raven haired wakes up to a loud, terrifying scream, feeling as if he didn’t sleep more than five minutes – although the bright digits of the clock on his bedside table prove him otherwise. 

He’s on his feet and bursting through the guest room door in less than three seconds, adrenaline keeping him wide awake and alert. His eyes don’t even need to adjust to the darkness for they’re already used to it, so he quickly spots the trembling boy sitting on the bed, hands brought protectively around his neck and eye wide, staring blankly into nothingness and tears streaming down his cheeks.

Levi might not have a beating heart, but he swears he feels his chest hurt from painful and erratic beating. It’s been _long_ since Levi has actually been so startled.

He rushes to Eren’s side and carefully takes a hold of the boy’s shoulder, shaking it lightly, hoping that the kid will come out of his horrific trance. 

“Oi, Eren, it was a nightmare!”

“Damn, brat, get a grip of yourself!”

“Hey, hey, look at me!”

“Eren, seriously, wake up!”

“Fuck, kid, c’mon, it’s over!”

But nothing seems to calm Eren’s hysterical attitude, instead it only appears to worsen – choking sobs, incoherent words, desperate gestures and painful memories are all drawn on Eren’s features. He looks so tiny and fragile and breakable and utterly destroyed that Levi has to fight down all of his instincts of pulling the brat on his lap and hold him tight until all the sorrow is gone.

But he doesn’t because Levi has never done that and he doesn’t know, has no fucking idea of what will happen if he has the kid so next to him and so defenseless. So he opts to sit next to him on the bed – doesn’t even hold out a hand in case the kid seeks for comfort – just stays there and stares forward at the wooden door, not wanting to look at the boy.

He doesn’t speak and doesn’t try to make some move to help Eren either, hoping that his mere presence will be of some kind of reassurance. 

It doesn’t, however, and Eren cries and shakes and sobs for at least twenty minutes more, curling into himself and trying not to seem weak when he’s obviously a wreck. Levi stops counting time, simply closes his eyes and tries so hard and so futilely to block out the sounds the brunet makes. 

It’s a long time later that Levi notices the noises have died, leaving the room in an eerily silence aside from both men’s breathing sounds. Levi waits a few moments before turning to glance at Eren, finding him dully staring at the white wall. And Levi doesn’t ask if he’s okay, because he so is not, but unconsciously his hand moves to give the brunet’s shoulder a light squeeze before he’s standing up. 

“Try to get some sleep, kid,” it’s all Levi says, ignoring the way Eren flinches away from him. He tells himself it doesn’t hurt at all.

It does not.

He leaves the door open this time, however, the corridor light on so that the kid won’t stay alone in the dark, and Levi doesn’t really know if he hears the words correctly as he enters his own bedroom once again, because he sure as hell doesn’t expect those two words to be directed at him.

It’s low and kind of slurred but he makes sure he doesn’t miss them

He makes sure.

_’Thank you’_.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s past 11:00 AM when Levi wakes up for good the following morning, the memories of the past hours washing through him. 

He’s glad he can’t have a headache. 

After the incident, he was woken up two more times: one because Eren let a glass escape from between his fingers while he was apparently drinking water and another because of a second nightmare. And trust him, Levi is aware he has slept enough to be considered fully rested, but he can’t help but feel completely exhausted. 

Drained even.

He even feels like he has no energy to get out of bed at all. Although some people call it laziness.

He groans and flips the covers off him, bringing himself onto a sitting position and yawning loudly before going through his usual morning schedule: shower, brush his teeth, comb his hair, change into new clothes and finally making his way to the kitchen. 

He can hear the steady and calm beat of Eren’s heart in the other room, so he concludes that the brat is still asleep and takes advantage of that time to read the news online, as he does every morning, once the newspaper is an utterly disgusting and dirty piece of paper. Hell, who knows who or what touched it in first place? Just no.

It’s around 1:00PM that Levi finally puts his phone aside and starts to make some breakfast (or brunch, as Hanji would say) for the brat, whether he’s awake or not. 

Eggs, bacon and toast is what Levi goes with, since it’s the easiest thing to make and the first that comes to his mind when thinking of breakfast. And in no time his apartment is filled with the heavenly smell of toasted beacon and fried eggs and warm butter toast. 

Levi is seriously starting to think about taking part on one of these cooking competitions. He’d crush everybody.

A smirk forms on his lips and he puts everything on the table and makes his way to wake a certain brunet who has already slept too much up. So he’s kind of surprised when he finds Eren already awake and once again staring blankly at the wall, one eye still covered with the makeshift eye patch that so intrigues Levi. 

He awkwardly stands at the door for a couple of seconds before clearing his throat and walking in.

“Hey, kid, breakfast’s ready, get your ass off the bed.”

Eren, unsurprisingly, doesn’t respond, and it annoys Levi to no end, but he tells himself that patience is a virtue. 

“Eren—”

He does not get to finish, however, because the boy cuts him off before he can say something else, the bright yet so lifeless turquoise orb piercing through his own grey blue eyes and the words taking him off of guard.

“Levi, what would death be like?”

It’s not what he’s expected from the kid.

It is not what he expected at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If by any chance someone was wondering, I'm freya-chii on tumblr and I track this fic as 'fic:blood ties' there! So although I'm not very active there because of school and shit, you can contact me anytime you want for questions or comments in general! (it's sad but I'm so unpopular on tumblr, so I'm sorry if my blog looks shitty, I'm trying to get some time to change theme and all of that, though x'D)
> 
> See you in the next chappie, love bunnies~!!


	4. There's a little bit of hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, HOLY SHIT GUYS SERIOUSLY?? LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF KUDOS AND ATTENTION THIS HAS BEEN GIVEN!!! OMG I LUV ALL OF YOU SO MUUUCH~ T3T  
> Thanks, really ^^  
> Also, i've decided I'll try to update every friday from now on, so let's see if I can actually mantain this schedule lol  
> This chapter is pretty dialog heavy, full of feels too, so I hope you don't get bored of it x'D And just to clarify a doubt some people seem to be having, Eren first notices that Levi is a vampire because of the speed Levi used to reach Eren at the park, when they 'meet' for the second time :3  
> A big thank you for all the comments you guys have been leaving, and I hope you enjoy this!!
> 
> This has not been beta'd so if you see any mistakes let me know~!!

If Levi’s being honest with himself, he’s so glad he has this damn emotionless mask that Hanji and Erwin are always bickering about, because he sure as hell doesn’t know how to react at this very moment. He stares at Eren for what feels like minutes, and if he didn’t know any better, he’d say he looks dumbstruck. 

But of course he doesn’t, because since long he has learned how to keep his facial expressions impeccable. So he blinks once and straightens his back before leaning against the doorframe. 

“What kind of fucked up question is that?”

His voice is sharp, as it should be. He lets the annoyance and anger and confusion and understanding – a little bit of everything he’s feeling – drip off his tone. What’s death? It’s actually very simple: it’s the so famous _the end_ , just not for a movie or a book, but for your entire life. It’s the end for everything you’ve lived and fought for. 

He won’t admit it, but the question is a frightening one.

And the kid - _Eren_ \- blankly looks at the wall, as if it has the most interesting design he’s ever seen. Levi wishes he could see Eren’s other eye, so he could confirm whether or not the pain and sorrow and something more he sees on that teal orb is real or he’s just picturing it all. It shouldn’t hurt Levi, yet the lack of desire to live that reflects on the brunet’s eye does make Levi’s stomach twist uncomfortably. 

He is so _lifeless_. 

“Oi, kid. What the hell did you mean?”

As if pulled out of some kind of trance, Eren turns to look wide eyed at the raven haired, although it only lasts for two or so seconds.

“Forget it,” he says, whispers, voice raw and low. “Sorry,” he also adds, as if automatically. 

Levi wants to punch something. Wants to yell and shout and simply ignore the kid at the same time. Instead he takes a few long intakes of breath, fighting down the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and stiffly walks across the room, so he can sit on a chair that always stays at the corner. 

He crosses one leg over the other, doing the same with his arms, and glares at the young man in front of him.

“Don’t apologize, that’s stupidity. I just want to know what the fuck you mean by saying shit like that.”

Eren closes his eye and turns his head so he’s facing the ceiling. “Why do you care?”

“You asked me the shit question, why are you getting all defensive?” Levi snaps, and even bites his tongue to keep from saying some more. 

“I mean, why am I here? Why did you take me in and why do you even try to cope with me?”

God, this kid is so _broken_.

Levi has to do more than just bite his tongue this time to keep from taking Eren into his arms. 

He settles in with a question for the time being, however. “What _happened_ to you, Eren?”

It’s a question he’s been asking himself so frequently, he’s lost count. 

And as soon as it’s out of his mouth, he wishes he had kept quiet. Eren’s shoulders begin to shake and he brings his knees up, hiding his face on them. He sobs and cries for what feels like an eternity for Levi, because he wants so bad to comfort the kid but doesn’t have a fucking clue on how to do that. So he does something he rarely does: he starts saying all what’s on his mind.

“Look, brat, let me tell you the basics: if I thought you’d be a nuisance you wouldn’t even be here. If I thought you were a burden to me, trust me, you’d know. As to why you’re here? Hell if I know,” Levi leans his head back and tries to organize his thoughts. He was being honest, once he had no idea what got into him to bring the kid home with him. 

“I have no flying fucking idea what happened to you, but I guess that when I saw you in that park, I kind of understood. I won’t tell you, because I barely know you, but shit happened to me too – you must be a fool to believe that a vampire has it easy, living on the XXI century,” he grimaces, thinking on how much shit he has been through. 

“Point is I know what it feels like to live without a roof above your head. I know what’s like to watch all those people pass by and not give a shit, or when they give, there’s only fucking _pity_ ,” Levi spits the word out, as if it’s insulting. “And I decided that at least until you’re good to stand on your own, you can stay here,” he shrugs, as if his throat doesn’t burn whit every word.

It seems to trigger something inside Eren, because his head snaps up, eye glowing with tears. “I can stand on my own! I don’t need your help!” he intakes a long breath. “Thanks for letting me stay here ‘til now,” and with that he starts to stand up on wobbling legs. Of course he doesn’t last long, because Levi is in front of him in a split second, jerking him back down on the bed and hissing, literally hissing, at him. 

“Don’t you fucking _dare_ to just walk of that door when you can’t even stop shaking. Stop putting this brave façade when you’re so obviously hurt,” Levi snarls. 

God, he’s so _angry_ because he’s trying so hard to just _help_ the brat and the idiot doesn’t even try to accept it. He realizes the he’s clenching the headboard, trapping the boy under him, and that his hands are breaking the dark wood of the bed. He looks down at the boy, who’s looking terrified at him, and the scent hits him as it did so many times before, and for some reason it is so much harder to ignore it now, although he just fed. 

He can feel his fangs coming out and it takes all of his self-control not to just sink them on the boy’s neck. It’d be so _easy_.

He retreats and gives three steps back, listening as Eren breathes out a shaky sigh. 

“There are people who are trying to help you, kid. If you want to get better all you have to do is help yourself.”

Eren looks at him, back to his former curled up position, and a few more tears fall from his eye. 

“Why don’t you just suck my blood and walk away? I know you want to, I can sense it,” it’s a whisper, but Levi hears it loud and clear. “Why do you fight against yourself?”

The brat is met with silence. Levi doesn’t know if he’s mentally ready to open up to this kid, so he just sighs and sits down on chair once more.

After a few moments Levi answers anyway. 

“Because contrary to what you seem to think, not all vampires want to be vampires. Not all of us want to feed off some innocent shit humans.”

It’s not a lie, but it’s not the complete answer, yet Levi’s more than satisfied with giving only that. 

“But you said you wanted to drink my blood. What changed?” Eren presses, though he doesn’t really sound afraid. 

Levi let’s a low, humorless chuckle out. “Nothing changed, brat. It’s not like I woke up today and suddenly didn’t want to drink your blood, that by the way smells fucking fantastic.”

Eren swallows a knot that gets stuck in the middle of his throat. “Then why?”

“I told you,” Levi says irritably, although an almost unnoticeable hint of sadness is heard. “Not all of us want to be monsters.”

“Monsters…” 

The word is mumbled in such a heavy tone that it has goosebumps running down Levi’s skin. He tries to shake it off, with no avail.

“So why did you want to know what death would be like?”

It takes the kid several attempts and several seconds to finally be able to speak without cracking his voice. 

“Because I wonder if after I die, my life will get better. I wonder if death will stop this pain.”

And he sounds so heartbroken that Levi’s own heart aches. However, he doesn’t let any of this show. He tries to keep his voice strong, instead.

“That’s the easy way out, kid. The reason we live is to fight for the things we want and stay put even on the hardest moments. It will always hurt, but that’s the principle of everything, isn’t it? Without pain one doesn’t get to know what’s happiness.”

“Well, then make this pain stop! I long forgot what happiness is and for the love of god, no matter how much I seem to suffer, no happiness comes out of it!” Eren’s voice breaks at the end and he chokes, blinking back the tears. “I’m scared I won’t find the light at the end of the tunnel, Levi.”

Levi’s throat burns again, but not from hunger, for a change. 

“You seem to be one who doesn’t give up easily, Eren. So don’t give up now. Don’t do that to yourself.”

And when Eren starts crying again and says that he just can’t find the will to fight anymore, Levi resolve crumbles and he thinks what the hell before taking the boy in his arms. The kid stiffs and tries to jerk back but Levi doesn’t let him – not now that he finally got the balls to comfort the kid. So he waits until the kid is comfortable between his arms before talking again.

“I don’t expect you to tell me what happened, brat, but I’ll be here if you need someone to talk to.”

Eren sobs and unconsciously leans further on Levi’s comforting gesture, hands gripping the fabric of the raven’s shirt and face hiding on the crook of his neck. Levi bites the inside of his cheek to keep his fangs in place, but awkwardly hugs back, his hands trailing up and down Eren’s spine. 

And when the brunet stops crying and just numbly leans against Levi, the words are out of his mouth before he can process them. “Why do you even wear this eye patch, by the way?”

Instead of stiffing and fighting and shouting like Levi thought he would, Eren inhales sharply but does nothing more than that. Levi gets the message. “Forget it, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Sorry,” the kid whispers, and there’s a little bit of true guilt on the tone he uses. 

“Don’t be,” Levi says again, because, really, the kid has nothing to be sorry for. “I understand. I said I didn’t want anything from you and I meant it.”

A strangled sound is heard and Levi thinks Eren’s going to cry again, but he’s wrong. No tears are shed this time. 

“Thanks.”

Something flutters inside Levi’s chest but he ignores it, even though it’s not an uncomfortable feeling. “That sounds a lot better.”

A low chuckle is heard and it sets Levi at ease to know that at least Eren can still smile. 

“C’mon, brat, let’s get you something to eat. If I’m correct, you didn’t eat anything until now.”

As if confirming, a stomach grumbling is heard and Levi can _feel_ the way blood rushes up to Eren’s cheeks. He ignores it with all his will. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later that afternoon, both are sitting on the couch, Levi reading an old book and Eren sleepily watching TV. His fever has gone down but his body is still too weak for any real exercises so both decided to stay the day at home, doing nothing really productive. 

The atmosphere is still heavy and awkward, but Levi feels like something little yet meaningful changed between them, and it helps him to settle down for now. Levi can only wonder what secrets this boy brings with him and what kind of life he’s lived, but for now Levi doesn’t try to understand anything.

He just enjoys the company of someone else sharing the couch with him and commenting every now and then about how stupid and how bad the special effects of the movie are. 

Levi enjoys for the rest of the day how mundane life can be when you don’t have anything to worry about.

And it’s nice.


	5. But it's crashing down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg I'm so sorry for this huge, giant wait!! It's just that writer's block is a bitch and my self esteem about my writings is in hell and I'm really desperate because this is my last year of high school and I have no freaking idea what I want to do with my life even though my parents are being really supportive about any career I choose and omg I'm just freaking out I'm sorry! QAQ
> 
> But here it finally is! Things are escalating quickly because as I said, I want this to be a short fic and besides, I have a million other plot bunnies waiting to be written but I just can't with this unfinished. 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the conflicted ereri feels and I hope you like this chapter! 
> 
> This hasn't been beta'd or anything, so I'll just correct anything later on, bc I'm super tired right now.
> 
> Have a good read o3o

To say Levi and Eren went from being strangers to friends after their little talk would be an overestimation, but things definitely got better between the two of them. The silence that used to be a constant in Levi’s apartment was slowly but surely being disturbed by low _good morning_ ’s, _good night_ ’s and even by occasional _have a good day_ ’s. Their relationship doesn’t resume to annoyed and cold grunts anymore, but to a more civilized way of communication, for which both of them are secretly thankful.

Eren continues keeping the eye-patch 24/7, taking it out only to shower or when he’s going to get his face wet, never really giving Levi the chance to see what’s underneath it. He also doesn’t say much but Levi can see that the kid is trying to put some kind of effort on interacting more with his savior, with his little sentences and by willingly initiating small talk. 

Levi, on the other hand, has never been a big fan of human interaction and he certainly didn’t expect to warm up to the brunet this quickly – though it was kind of inevitable, since he took the kid in and they were living together for the past month. Yet, regardless of the evident facts, the vampire couldn’t help but grow a soft spot for the quiet brunet. 

By being who he is, Levi obviously doesn’t directly show his affection towards his affection’s target. He’s closed minded when it comes to certain subjects and he certainly doesn’t have a way with words, but contrary to popular belief, he’s not heartless. 

Levi cares for the brat more than he actually admits. 

And it’s not that bad. 

Having company used to be something Levi avoided at all costs – it wasn’t only a disturbance, it was also a nuisance – but _somehow_ Eren managed to _worm_ his way into Levi’s head, _mess_ everything around and finally _crave_ a place close to special in the raven’s mind. 

He burns his mark on Levi with every day that passes as red-hot iron marks a cattle for its death.

And it’s not bad at all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hanji’s coming over.”

Eren turns his head ever so slightly to cast a glance at Levi, who’s sitting on the couch fumbling on his phone, before turning back to the slice of bread he’s cutting. 

“Okay.”

“You remember her, right? She talked to you over the phone a couple of times,” Levi asks. Actually Hanji wanted to come over ever since she found out Eren’s been living with the black haired vampire, but Levi didn’t want the brat to meet her just yet – not when he was overwhelmed with Levi’s presence alone, so imagine with Hanji’s. 

“Yeah, I do. It’s fine, she seems nice.”

“She can be.”

 _When she’s not being a complete maniac, hot headed idiot blinded by the wonders of science and a crazy minded sack of enthusiasm, than maybe she can be nice_ , Levi mentally adds but doesn’t dare to say it aloud. 

Eren hums lowly in response. Levi’s eyes hypnotically follow him, as they have ever since day one. He thought his need for Eren’s blood would be easier to bear with throughout time, but once again he was proven wrong. The smell reeks in his apartment, lingering in every corner and every surface, making it harder and harder for Levi to simply ignore it as days pass by.

His only somewhat safe place is his bedroom, where he purposely forbid Eren of entering. He doesn’t know what would happen if he woke in the middle of the night to the brunet’s strong scent and went berserk.

It’d probably end in a bath of bloody limbs and a lifeless body.

Levi looks away from his new roommate and focuses on his phone, texting Hanji back.

**_Levi – 3:17pm_ **  
_You’ve got yourself a free pass for today._

**_Hanji Z. – 3:17pm_ **  
_Awesome! I’ll be there in 20, tops._

**_Levi – 3:17pm_ **  
_Take your time shitty glasses_

And with that, Levi shuts his phone off and stands up, inhaling deeply and carefully before going into the kitchen. He eyes the brunet’s back for one second, watching his muscles loosen and contract with every small movement beneath the white fabric of his long sleeved shirt. He eyes Eren’s nape with sharp eyes, shoulders tensing at the sight of the kid’s jugular vein. 

He can practically taste the blood on his tongue. He dreams about it at night, dreams of Eren’s blood – sweet, but not overly so, warm and with that little delicious taste of cooper on his mouth. Dreams of Eren willingly tilting his neck for Levi, dreams of sinking his teeth on that soft and impossibly fragile flesh. 

Sometimes he even dreams of Eren moaning on his lap as he’s being sucked on. 

Levi doesn’t acknowledge any of those dreams, however. 

It never crossed his mind that it is a possible future for both of them, but if he’s being sincere, Levi will never let his most raw desires take control over him. He refuses to do so. 

He will live in denial forever if he has to. 

“-vi.”

After all.

“-vi!”

Forever is just a little bit of time for him. 

“Levi!”

Levi blinks once and looks at Eren, who’s – dare he say – worriedly staring at him, one hand halfway outstretched but not quite with the intention of touching him.

It doesn’t hurt, the raven haired lies to himself.

“Yeah?”

“You, uh… um,” Eren takes a step back and lets his hand fall by his side. “Nothing. You just looked kind of… distracted.”

Levi knows what Eren wants to say, though; knows it the moment he locks eyes with him. He looked starved. He looked starved for Eren’s blood, looked as if he might jump on the brunet’s throat at any minute. And Eren knew it too.

His stomach turns uncomfortably inside him, and this time not only from hunger. He feels sick.

“Sorry,” he mumbles as he takes a step back, posture stiff and tense.

“Are you okay?”

 _Fucking awesome,_ is what Levi wants to spit at that stupid face. 

“Fine.”

“Are you su—”

“I’m _fine_ , Eren!” he barks and regrets it immediately as Eren winces and shrinks into himself. “I’m not going to rip your throat out, if that’s what you wanted to know.”

Eren doesn’t answer him aloud, but the nod he sends his way does nothing to make him feel any better. 

They stare into each other eyes until Levi turns on his heels and walks out of the room, his idea of baking a cake for Hanji and Eren suddenly lost. 

“Let’s order take out, Hanji is always hungry and I bet you could use some real food instead of shitty bread.”

 _And what about you?_ , Eren’s question is heavy in the air, but Levi doesn’t bother answering it. 

“Is Chinese okay with you?” the vampire asks, looking over his shoulder for a confirmation.

“Yeah, that’d be great.”

“Perfect.”

Levi orders some random stuff from the menu and when he’s done, drops himself on the couch once again, fully laying down this time. He closes his eyes and tries to shut everything off. 

But of course he can’t. He knows that Eren’s still standing in the kitchen, looking at his direction and not knowing what to do with himself. Part of him wishes they had never met. Wishes he hadn’t been walking in the middle of the night and scented this kid, wishes he hadn’t taken him in and taken care of him.

Because even though Levi didn’t want Eren to stay in the streets, he just can’t handle him anymore. He has bought clothes for Eren; has bought him food and given him shelter for nearly over two months; has tended his injuries and looked after him.

But even vampires know when too much is too much. He likes Eren, really does – the brunet knows when to be quiet and doesn’t disturb Levi unless there’s something he can’t do by himself, and they’re finally kind of getting along – but Levi doesn’t know how long it’ll take until he snaps. Until his self-control breaks and jumps at Eren.

It can’t go like this anymore. 

And it almost physically pains him to _think_ about letting Eren go. 

Maybe he has really created a soft spot for the kid, huh?

Levi’s pathetic. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The doorbell rings loudly in the quiet apartment and Levi groans before sitting up, however, Eren beats it to him and makes it to the door faster. He opens it and is completely unprepared for the bone crushing hug he gets.

“Leeeeeviiiiiiiiiiiiiiii—” the woman starts to say before realizing the person in her arms is not Levi but a very much perplexed and awkward Eren. “Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!! Look at you! Are you Eren?! Levi didn’t tell me you were such a cutie pie!! Look at these wonderful squeezable cheeks!! It even looks like baby fat! Oh my god, how old are you even?!” she rambles in a chirpy tone, until a low growl stops her.

“Let him go, Hanji, you’re scarring the crap out of him.”

“Aye, aye, captn’! You’re already jealous over him?” she snickers but lets Eren take a step or two back, at the same time Levi mumbles under his breath about jealously his ass.

“So hello, Eren! I’m Hanji, Levi’s bestie! But you already know me from our phone calls,” she says cheerfully with a side wink. “I’m sure Levi has already told you lots of awesome stuff about me, right?”

“Uhm… I… He, uh, he didn’t really say anything?” he almost squeaks and Levi has to bite his lips to refrain from chuckling. Hanji downright laughs.

“Why am I not surprised?” she smiles and takes her shoes off, placing them, surprisingly, neatly beside the others. “So, do you guys have food? I’m starving!”

“Chinese. The table is already settled.”

“Fantastic! Let’s eat!!”

Eren didn’t really expect it, but the rest of the day went surprisingly well. Levi obviously didn’t eat anything, but he sat on the table with them and at any given chance, he left some side remarks about everything. Eren and Hanji got really well along and even though she liked to ramble off, Eren didn’t have any problems talking to her – she was a fun and naturally talkative person, the complete opposite to his roommate. 

Before they knew it, they had already finished lunch/dinner and watched two of the Star Wars movies. Hanji yawns and stretches lazily after it ended and gets up, saying it’s time for her to go.

Eren says his goodbye and Levi leads her to the door, closing it behind them. Hanji rises an eyebrow at him in question.

“Hanji, I need your help,” the raven haired confesses with a defeated sigh.

“Levi, what is it?”

This isn’t the normal and sassy Levi she knows. This is a vampire with more humanity in him than half of the humans she knows; this is a man who’s exhausted and that’s carrying something so much heavier than just the duty of taking care of an abandoned teenager on his shoulders.

“I can’t do this anymore, I can’t let Eren stay here anymore.”

“Oh, Levi—”

“No, hear me out,” the vampire cuts her off, taking a calming breath. “I can’t, Hanji. Every day I have to refrain from doing something stupid unconsciously. Every night I wake up to the smell of his blood and I—god, you don’t know the amount of self-control I’m counting on. I can barely contain myself from just sinking my teeth on his neck and I am constantly afraid of fucking up and doing something that I absolutely shouldn’t do without the other party’s consent and god I can’t, I just really can’t and fu—”

“Levi, breathe,” Hanji’s voice cuts through his panicking monologue. “You are not going to fuck things up. That’s why people like me and Erwin are here, right? We’ll help you out, just tell me calmly what you need help with.”

Levi inhales deeply, trying to calm his nerves and leans against his door, one hand covering his eyes. 

“Please, help me find a place for him. I can’t let him stay here when with every day that passes the risks of him getting bitten is increasing. And I can’t let him feel like I’m abandoning him, either, because I don’t know what would happen to the brat if he felt like he was being abandoned again, okay? I just—I need help right now.”

Hanji smiles sadly at her friend. “You’re really fond of him, aren’t you?”

Levi’s hands clenches and his eyes flashes red. “Hanji, I really don’t need your pity, okay?”

“I’m not pitying you, Levi. You know I would never. If you really need him out, he can stay with me. I have a spare bedroom and I’m sure we’re friends already so—”

“No, no, it can’t be you. You’re always so loud and spontaneous and that’s not really what Eren needs right now. He’s jumpy and he’s been through a lot, I can tell just by looking, and—”

He stops talking when he notices _what_ he is saying and when he sees Hanji’s expression. 

“Fuck.”

“Fuck indeed, Levi, darling. You’ve got it sooo bad,” she half says, half laughs. “Why don’t you talk to him first? Just tell him everything you told me and get some answers from him as well. Maybe everything can get sorted out a lot easier like this than by the huge fuss you’re making.”

“You’re not really helping, Hanji.”

“And neither are you. These words you said aren’t meant for me, Levi. He has the right to know that while you’re helping him out, you’re also suffering with it.”

Levi’s quiet while he lets her words sink in. She is right. Of course she is. Hanji is difficulty ever wrong.

“Well, I’ll be going now. If it turns out badly he can stay with me, you don’t have to worry about it,” she smiles and waves him goodbye.

God, how can she smile so much?

Levi envies her. Envies her ability of being positive and bright minded even in the worst situations. 

He straightens up and opens the door to his apartment, getting inside and locking it behind him. Now the only question is how he’ll bring it up with Eren, because it’s not something he can tell him casually during breakfast.

He notices, however, when he turns around, that he won’t have to break any news to Eren anytime soon, because said boy is standing right in front of him, mouth slightly agape and eye wider than he’s ever seen it ever since the first time they met. 

And Levi knows it can’t be a situation to get any worse, because Eren has already listened to everything he had to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I told you I love Hanji? No? I love Hanji :3
> 
> I'm kisaae on tumblr if you ever want to talk to awkward me X'D I track this fic as "fic: blood ties" if anyone wants to share something :)


	6. Self control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I trust you."_
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _"It's okay."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, folks! Look who got to update a chapter! :D
> 
> Happy International Women's Day, first off! Hope all of you girls had a good day :3 
> 
> Second of all, this chapter is an emotional roller coaster, so yeah, I hope it doesn't bother everyone so much :/ But I personally like this chapter a lot, so it would mean the world to me if you enjoyed it as well! Plus, we have more ereri development! Yay~
> 
> Also, there are only a few more chapters to go! I told you guys this would be a short story :') I'm already dreading the thought of finishing this, but oh well, I have a lot of plot bunnies waiting to be written so yep, we're better off like this :3
> 
> As always, this was not beta'd, so forgive me for any huge mistakes, I'll try to correct it later on! Enjoy~!
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _p.s.:trigger warning for panic attack!! If you're not comfortable reading it, please skip that part!_

If asked, Levi would say he likes silence. Likes the feeling of harmony, calmness and peacefulness that comes with it. Silence is, in a big city like the one he lives in, a blessing. Especially for someone like him, who, besides having very sensitive ears, dreads loud noises above anything else. 

So it comes to him as a huge surprise when he finds himself getting extremely uncomfortable at the eerie quietness that surrounds him and Eren.

Eren, who looks like he’s going to be sick at any given moment. 

Eren, who’s whiter than a paper sheet and whose hands are shaking so bad Levi doubts he can hold anything. 

Eren, who must be living a nightmare all over again.

Levi wants to simultaneously kick and punch himself for being so careless. His only excuse is that in the end Eren will not regret Levi’s decision. Eren will be grateful for this in the near future, Levi’s sure about it. Will be thanking him because he won’t have a hideous bite mark on his neck.

The vampire swallows a lump on his throat. He refuses to admit that it was there in the first place.

“We need to talk.”

The lifeless chuckle that leaves Eren’s mouth makes Levi want to cringe. 

“What’s there to talk about? I think you already made your point very clear.”

“Eren—”

“You want me out,” the brunet cuts him off. “Why doesn’t it surprise me,” it’s not really a question. 

“It’s not like that,” but of course Levi shouldn’t have said it.

“Bullshit, Levi!” Eren’s shout comes as suddenness to both of them. “I— I heard it, okay?! You said it so yourself, that you can’t— you can’t endure me staying here!”

The worst about it all is that Eren’s right. Eren’s words are exactly what Levi had said to Hanji a few moments ago and he meant everything.

“It’s for your own sake, kid,” is what the raven haired manages to say. Truth is that he wants to add a lot more to it, but the words won’t come to him. They never come when he needs them most.

“Don’t throw your opinions on me, Levi. Don’t—just don’t do it.”

“It’s not an opinion, Eren. It’s a certainty.”

“I’m not going to screw up!”

“I didn’t say you were—”

“ _I am not a dead weight!_ ” it’s not quite a shout, but it shakes Levi to the core. “I’m not a dead weight, I’m not useless, I’m not a burden, I’m—I’m not, I swear I’m not, I’m not, I’m not, I’m not—” and that’s when Eren falls to the ground. He lands on his knees, head in his hands and Levi doesn’t miss the hitch on his breath. 

It’s not about mere fear anymore. 

The way Eren goes whiter than before and the shallow breathing is all too familiar for Levi.

This is sheer panic.

“Oh my god— oh my god, I can’t breathe. I can’t—Levi, I can’t breathe, oh my god,” the brunet rambles, desperation leaking from his voice. “I’m going to die, oh my god, I’m going to die—I’m going to die—”

Levi had never experienced one, but the fact that Eren’s having a panic attack is obvious. 

The vampire is quick to act, kneeling down behind Eren and pushing the brunet between his legs, pressing his chest to Eren’s back, and his hands to Eren’s pectoral, holding him there. 

“Eren, breathe with me. C’mon, feel my movements and copy it. Breathe, Eren. Breathe, yeah, that’s it, just like that, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…” he keeps mumbling, focusing on having Eren matching his breath. 

He doesn’t know when it happens, but his face is pressed to the back of Eren’s neck when he comes to himself, his nostrils flaring with each breath he takes and throat burning so bad he wants to _beg_ for it to stop. 

God, he’s pathetic. 

Eventually Eren calms down and collapses against the vampire, cold sweat running down his temple and trembling hands desperately clutching the fabric of Levi’s long sleeved shirt. 

Stress, anxiety, depression, insecurity, traumatic experiences, pessimism and _constant and overwhelming crushing fear_ that something terrible is about to happen are some of the most popular causes Levi knows about panic attacks. And if Eren has been dealing with them for so long, Levi will probably never really forgive himself for throwing yet another reason at Eren for him to doubt himself even more.

They stay like that for only god knows how long, and Levi tries his best not to press his lips against the hot flesh of Eren’s neck. 

He also tries to deny the feeling of how nice it actually feels to sit so closely to the green eyed boy. 

It’s a low whisper of “I’m sorry,” that breaks the not comfortable – yet also not uncomfortable – silence between them. And suddenly a lot more of them follow, Eren’s cold façade breaking into a thousand pieces once again. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry—”

“Hey, hey, hey, shhh, it’s okay, Eren, it’s alright.”

When has he become so good at consoling people?

Since when did he start to _care_?

“You’re not a disappointment, you know.”

And maybe that’s what Eren needed to hear all along. 

Maybe that was the little, silly sentence that lacked on the brunet’s life. 

Perhaps that’s what the right person had not said to Eren when he needed it the most.

Eren cries a lot that evening. He cries and he does not let go of Levi, not even when the raven haired picks him up and brings him to his room. “I don’t want to be alone,” is the only reason he offers. 

They stay on Eren’s bed – since when has it started to be _Eren’s bed_ and not guest room bed? – for a long time. At first Eren clings to Levi like a leach, but after an hour or so they separate from each other, sitting on far off corners. 

But none of them leave. Nor do they speak. 

They just stay there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then it’s finally too much. 

Levi’s throat burns so much it physically pains him to stay in the same room as Eren. He has exceeded the amount of self-control he usually has to deal with and he _will_ kill Eren if he doesn’t drink blood _now_.

He shots out of the bed so fast Eren doesn’t even notice at first, only when the door slams shut behind the vampire. He knows he’s being stupidly suicidal as he scrambles out of the bed and follows the vampire into the kitchen, just in time to see Levi ripping a bag of blood and drinking directly from it.

The image will be imprinted on Eren’s brain forever, that’s for sure, but he can’t bring himself to be disgusted by it. 

Shocked? Sure.

Terrified? That too.

But disgusted? No, he didn’t feel anything close to disgust. 

When Levi finishes it he tosses the empty bag on the trash bin and grips the sink’s edge with so much force his knuckles turn white. 

“Get out, Eren,” the growl was anything but human and the brunet was beyond scared, but he maintained his stance. 

“No.”

“Eren, this is not about you anymore. Go into the fucking room before I rip your _fucking throat out!_ ” Levi’s eyes flash dangerously red and his fangs come into view as he shouts the last words. The sound of the sink cracking beneath Levi’s hands would hunt Eren’s nightmare, but his feet refuse to move. 

“It won’t pass, will it?” he whisperes, teeth clenched to prevent from stuttering. “You want my blood, don’t you?”

A dry laugh devoid of humor comes from the raven haired. “Well, aren’t you a _genius_?”

Eren knows it is the thirst speaking, but the words hurt nonetheless. 

“Will you kill me if I let you drink from it?” his question is all but very low murmur.

Levi’s red eyes sharpen into slits. “Get. Out.”

“But will you?”

“NOW!” he roars, making Eren almost fall on his butt. The brunet takes a few hurried steps back, watching as Levi lows his head between his shoulders, arms trembling with contained strength and need. 

Levi can hear Eren’s alarmingly fast heartbeat from the opposite side of the room and it doesn’t really help him calm down. 

“I’m calling Hanji,” he grits out, hands sinking into his pants pocket and closing around the cellphone device. 

“You can have my blood!” Eren yells, making Levi freeze on the spot. 

“Shut the fuck up, you fucking stupid brat,” he growls, “You have no fucking idea what you’re talking about.”

“You won’t kill me.”

“Don’t put words on my mouth.”

“I’m sure about it,” and Eren really is. He feels it on his gut. He _can_ trust Levi.

“You’re sure about your death then,” the vampire spits, unlocking his phone’s screen.

“I trust you, Levi.”

The phone is smashed between the vampire’s hands, the sound of it breaking being the only audible thing on the room. 

“You know shit about me,” the raven haired starts, voice deadlier than it has been in a long time, “So don’t say things you don’t mean.”

To say Eren is scared shitless would be a huge understatement. Even so he manages to stutter out an “I do mean it.”

“Get out!”

“Hear me out, goddammit!” the brunet shouts, surprising both of them. “You took me in when I thought I was in death’s hands! You took care of me, you cooked for me and you gave a place to stay for as long as I needed! You know nothing about me but my name yet here we are! Hell, you don’t even know why I use a fucking eye patch, yet here we are! So if you’re going to make a fuss about whatever _I_ trust, please don’t even start!”

Some would say bravery is a gift, but right now Eren can only think of how stupid it was to just blurt it all out. 

So it surprises him to see that Levi’s not going berserk but actually calming himself. 

“I don’t know if I’d be able to control myself,” the vampire admits. “Your blood is… it’s not something I’d consider healthy for my sanity.”

“You won’t know until you try, right?” Eren says, managing the best grin he can afford at the moment. 

Levi looks at him, really _looks_ , a weird expression on his face. 

“Why are you doing this?”

“Consider it a retribution,” the brunet answers with a small smile.

“A retribution?”

“Yeah. You saved my life and therefore I’ll save your sanity. Sounds fair enough, right?”

Levi doesn’t answer, but he does walk towards Eren until their toes are touching. He can feel the way the brunet trembles under his gaze and something akin to guilt burns in his stomach. He’s tired of people being afraid of him.

He lifts his hand and strokes the side of Eren’s neck with his fingertips, feeling the rapid pulse beneath the frail skin. 

_It’d be so easy,_ the thought comes to him yet again.

_Nobody would have to know._

Levi lifts his eyes to Eren’s face, and is met with that big green eye. Their gazes lock for a few seconds until Levi moves his hand from the brunet’s neck to the eye patch, finger closing around the fabric. He looks at Eren again, and when he’s not met with any resistance, he pulls the eye patch away, letting it fall on the floor. 

There’s no missing eye, no scar, no injury nor anything like Levi imagined. Instead, his silvery blue eyes are locked to a bright golden colored eye. It’s unlike anything Levi has ever thought about.

One is a wonderful mix of green and blue, the other is a fascinating combination of melted gold and light brown flecks. 

One is the ocean, the other the sun.

“You have heterochromia.”

It’s not a question at all.

“Yeah.”

It’s not really an answer.

“Why did you hide it?”

Because it’s breathtaking, okay? It’s a _shame_ to hide it. Levi will not admit it, however.

“Nobody was supposed to see it after mom died.”

Levi has no answer for it.

He keeps looking at Eren’s eyes, unaware of their proximity. He only breaks eye contact to glance at the exposed skin of the brunet’s neck. 

He shouldn’t be hungry but the sight of the kid’s jugular vein keeps flashing on his mind, along odd eye colors. 

What's happening to him? 

“It’s okay, Levi,” Eren’s voice is soft, and Levi can’t help but close his eyes and _just inhale_. “I’m not afraid.”

_Exhale._

“It’s a retribution, remember?”

_Inhale._

“My blood for your sanity.”

_Exhale._

Levi opens his eyes.

“It’s okay.” 

Eren’s words are nothing but a whisper.


	7. lose it all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " _He inhales sharply, the scent of Eren so strong in the air and so insanely near Levi that he actually fists his free hand and bites his lip in order to not outright tear Eren’s flesh apart._
> 
> _God, he feels like a beast._
> 
> _He’s a fucking_ monster _, isn’t he?_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slowly gets out of hiding space*  
> Hi, guys :X   
> I'm extremly sorry for this never coming chapter T.T A lot has happened to me this last year, including college applications, family problems and a friend ending his own life because of this stupid homophobic world. Not the best period of my life. However, I'm a lot better now, and I've had time to cope with everything that has happened so I'm kinda back yay! 
> 
> Now, can I just say thanks to the massive and constant support this fic has gotten? Like srsly, guys, so many kudos and comments it's just overwhelming and probably one the main reasons for me never wanting to abandon this fic, I love all of you so much I can barely put it into words, thank you so much!!
> 
> I'm not sure when the next chapetr will be out, but hopefully in a few weeks (sorry, life isn't allowing me much free time rn .-.) so I hope you can wait for it and meanwhile enjoy this one ;) ;) ;)
> 
> See ya later folks o3o 
> 
> Catch me on tumblr (itsmefreyaa) or on twitter (@Freya_Saskia) I'm lonely ;3

Even though it doesn’t seem possible, Levi manages to take another step forward. His chest touches Eren’s ever so slightly and even with a layer of clothes separating their skins, the raven haired feels like he’s being marked by hot iron everywhere they’re so absurdly close. 

He has one hand resting on the brunet’s nape, his thumb stroking over the veins of the kid’s throat, while the other one awkwardly hangs by his side. He inhales sharply, the scent of Eren so strong in the air and so insanely near Levi that he actually fists his free hand and bites his lip in order to not outright tear Eren’s flesh apart. 

God, he feels like a beast. 

He’s a fucking _monster_ , isn’t he? 

Levi internally scoffs. So much time and effort put on controlling his thirst and so much time and effort wasted the second he met this fucking brat. He _is_ pathetic.

And Eren is a fucking liar. He says that he’s okay, that it is a damn retribution – what the fuck is that supposed to mean anyway? – but one glance at his hands is enough to let Levi know that he’s terrified. His hands are shaking so bad that Levi doubts the brat could hold anything without letting go, not to mention that his heartbeat is so fast that the vampire silently worries whether or not he’s going to have a cardiac attack. 

Levi closes his eyes for a moment. Feels the way Eren is trembling, feels the way their bodies respond to each other and feels the way he’s holding Eren with increasing strength. Realizes he’s probably hurting him and lets go, but doesn’t step back. His fangs are completely at view and he can clearly picture the look fear on the kid’s face. 

He sighs and opens his eyes, only to stare back at turquoise and golden ones. He wants to say something, say that he doesn’t actually want Eren’s blood – even though at the same time he wants it so much, needs it or else he’s certain he’ll go insane – and say that he won’t hurt him – even though that’s probably a lie and it’ll hurt like a bitch, even if only at the beginning. Wants to assure this kid that everything is going to be okay, as cliché as that sounds. 

And then he’s also horrified because he’s starting to feel things for Eren that he hasn’t felt for anyone in his entire life before. The way Levi wants to take care of him? The way Levi wants to hold him close? The way Levi can’t control himself near this person, and not only because of the infuriating scent of delicious blood? It can’t be normal. Not for someone like him, who’s supposed to be heartless and cold and terrifying. 

Not for someone like him, who’s afraid of showing his true nature to others. 

Much less others that he cares about.

God.

He cares so fucking much about Eren. 

He doesn’t even know the guy that much. It’s _pathetic_.

“I can’t do it.”

It’s a mere whisper that leaves his mouth, but Levi feels like his shouting out for the world to hear.

“What?” Eren’s voice is raspy, as if the word got stuck in his throat. 

Levi shakes his head, takes a step back and turns his back to Eren. How low has he fallen if he can’t even face the kid? 

“Can’t do it, Eren,” he grits out, this time louder. 

“I said I trust you!”

_Just be done with it_ , is what Levi hears instead. It’d be a lie if he said it doesn’t sting at least. 

“But I don’t trust myself, you fucking piece of shit!”

He turns around again just in time to see Eren flinch away from him. Fuck, what had he done? He covers his mouth with his hand and takes another step back, away from Eren and away from the hurt in his eyes. Why the hell had he shouted and cursed at the boy? They were finally getting along, finally getting to know each other and he just screwed everything up once again. 

Isn’t he a ray of sunshine? 

Levi closes his eyes and takes a shuddering breath. He mentally counts to five, ten, twenty eight, fifty six and— and it doesn’t really help. At all. Fuck his life. _Fuck_ it. 

He’s ready to step out of the room, to lock himself in his room and stay there for the rest of the week – actually for the rest of his life, preferably – when a hand closes itself around his wrist with surprising strength. He looks over his shoulder to find Eren looking as if his body had just betrayed him but still with a somewhat determined expression as well. 

“I believe in you, Levi.”

It’s said in such a soft, gentle, caring tone that Levi cannot bring himself to be mad. If anything, it just makes him deflate. His shoulders sag and he feels a thousand times older than he actually is. “Eren—”

“Levi, no, just—just listen to me, okay?” and the brunet looks at him as if he were staring into his very soul. 

_What soul?_ , Levi thinks bitterly — pathetically — to himself. 

Eren steps closer to him, the hand that isn’t holding him still coming up to lightly caress his cheek. He doesn’t say anything but is not like words are needed. His breath ghosts so near to Levi’s, mixing them together, that the vampire cannot suppress the way his skin erupts in goosebumps. Eren’s eyes search his and when their gazes finally lock, Levi can see his own uneasiness reflected on the brunet.

But that doesn’t seem to make Eren back off, on the contrary, it seems to make him more confident as he steps even closer to Levi. Their noses brush together when Eren bends down and Levi is sure he has never controlled himself the way he is right then. 

The hand that is holding Levi’s wrist lets go and Eren brings it up and pushes the sweater his wearing down by the collar, exposing the skin on the base of his throat and of his collarbones. Levi trembles all over, nostrils flaring. 

His instinct is quickly taking over and oh god, Levi _cannot control it_. His eye flash red and he snaps them up to meet Eren’s mismatched ones. Sees the way the brunet inhales, clearly trying to calm himself. He wonders if Eren finally realized the stupidity he’s trying to do. Wonders if _finally_ some sense has come into him. 

And well, apparently not, because the brunet smiles shakily and leans his forehead against Levi’s for a second too long. 

Levi is sure that second would have cost Eren his life if it weren’t for the fact that he is pulling some exceptional self-control right now.

“Levi,” his name is nothing but a whisper but it’s louder than any sound surrounding them. “I _trust_ you.”

And maybe these were the words that Levi needed to hear all along, just like when he told Eren that he wasn’t a disappointment. 

The weight they carry is overwhelming and Levi can feel the way he searches deep into Eren’s eyes for the truth of the statement. And it’s breathtaking when he finds it, bared for the world to see. 

He breaths in. 

Breaths out.

Opens his mouth but no words come out. Closes it and swallows hard, eyes darting between the tanned skin of Eren’s neck and the brunets face. 

He tries again. 

“May I?” 

It doesn’t sound quite like himself, but he takes it as a victory that he managed at least something out.

And Levi certainly isn’t prepared for the genuine smile Eren gives him. It does funny things in his stomach – and it doesn’t have anything to do with hunger this time, feels more like a hundred butterflies are battling inside him. 

“You may, Levi,” it’s more of a breeze than a whisper and Levi can’t describe how much it affects him. 

He lets his fingers run down Eren’s neck, giving the brunet one last glance – a last chance to back off – before he leans in and brushes his lips against the ever so soft and tender skin of the brunet’s throat. Feels Eren shudder, but doesn’t pull back. Traces his tongue along a particularly jumped vein and hums lowly, a throaty sound of pleasure that has Eren’s skin exploding in goosebumps. 

He inhales sharply and doesn’t hesitate as he sinks his fangs into the flesh between the junction of Eren’s neck and shoulder, cutting through it as if cutting through warm butter. 

And Levi almost loses it as the first mouthful of the brunet’s blood gets in contact with his taste buds. He groans and faintly hears the way Eren grunts in pain, too busy drowning himself in the taste of human blood. _Eren’s_ blood. The blood whose scent has been haunting him ever since the first time he smelled it. That has driven him almost insane for _months_.

It’s better than anything Levi ever had.

Distantly he feels as Eren wraps his arms tightly around his middle and exposes more of his neck, letting a low moan out. At least now he knows the substance in his saliva has kicked in and the brunet isn’t in pain anymore. Quite the opposite actually, if the moans are of any indication. 

Not that Levi is any better, moaning himself as he sucks more and more blood out of the warm body that is clutched to him. He knows he should stop soon, or else the damage will not be reversible, but he can’t bring himself to pull away. 

He’s far too high and way past the point where he cares about anything else but the blood. 

But then Eren is squirming in his arms, pleasure giving way to pain once again. They fall on the couch, the vampire on Eren’s lap and Levi knows he must stop. Now. 

Eren whines and feels his body go numb.

Levi groans and fights against his own will, slowly extracting his fangs and blinking the haze away. He looks at the blood oozing out of the bite mark on Eren’s neck and licks it clean, his saliva working the wound close until there’s only a slight white scar that Levi knows will fade out in a matter of days. 

He feels positively drunk, staring dumbly at the mess he made. His tongue darts out to lick at the corner of his mouth, savoring the last taste of blood it catches. Levi’s eyes dart to Eren’s face, only to find the brunet already looking at him.

Their position is oddly intimate but he can hardly care when Eren is looking at him with half lidded eyes, pupils blown wide and a very red blush covering his cheeks, contrasting strongly with his pale face. 

It’s even harder to care much when Eren’s arms go from around his waist to around his neck and pushes him down until their faces are a mere inch apart. 

Levi can’t really help it when he finally loses it and smashes his mouth to Eren’s, grunting at the wanton moan he swallows from said brunet’s mouth. He licks his way inside, Eren parting his lips willingly, albeit a little bit clumsily, as if this were his first kiss. Their kiss is messy, tongues sliding together, teeth bumping against each other and spit running down the corner of their mouths, but neither of them can bring themselves to care.

Levi almost forgets Eren needs to breath but is suddenly reminded when the brunet parts away and inhales sharply, his glassy eyes trained on Levi’s lips. The vampires follows Eren’s lips and pecks him long and hard before pulling back again. 

Their gazes lock and Levi cannot believe what just happened, but Eren gives him the goofiest smile he has ever seen and that somehow makes Levi very sure he does not regret a single thing. He’s pretty sure he’s smiling as well.

“You did it,” Eren breaths against his mouth and a shudder runs down Levi’s spine.

“Technically it was your own fault,” he whispers back, a teasing end to his voice. 

Eren laughs breathlessly and it’s possibly the best sound Levi has ever heard. 

“I meant that you successfully didn’t kill me.”

Levi closes his eyes and rests his forehead against Eren’s, the scent of blood still fresh in his mind. “I almost did, though. Thought of doing it.”

“But you didn’t. You—, I—, you _didn’t_ , Levi, and I count that as a win,” Eren’s voice is so bright and soft at the same time, so different from what it’s usually like, when he’s closing himself from the world. 

Levi wonders for the hundredth time how and when he started to care so much for this brat. Since when has he started this never ending fall? 

He sighs and leans forward once more, catching Eren’s lips in a much slower and tender kiss, with no tongues involved at all. And when they part, Levi opens his eyes and is crushed by a wave of affection so strong he doesn’t think he can handle it. 

“I guess it could be considered a win,” he murmurs and knows he’ll probably freak out about it later when he isn’t up to his neck in a sea of emotions. Knows he and Eren will have to talk about all of it later, including their newly discovered mutual attraction and what shall happen in the future.

Right now, though, _right now_ Levi cannot concentrate in anything else but the stupidly handsome brat in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos pwease? owo


End file.
